The Elementalists

50.

My heart pounded in my chest uncontrollably. I only dangled in the air with only my hands to support me. My body was still raised by her anger-fuelled strength, my toes barely grazed the lower rope. My feet kicked around wildly as I attempted to gain some purchase again. My breath and blood that rushed in my ears was all that I could here. It faltered as another tug pulled my foot away from the rope as soon I found some footing.

"S-STOP IT!" I yelled back again, my head twisted to the side as much as it could to stare into the dark forest where Christine was. "I'LL FALL!"

There came sounds of hurried footsteps from beneath me as Rhaeya and Wafi finally came to their senses. Probably the panic in my voice.

I could vaguely hear Harry's voice as he tried to talk to Christine. There was a succession of sharp tugs that had me dangling by my bare fingertips. My feet scrabbled for a grip below me as my heart pounded in my throat. My vision was narrowed in on my hands.

One hand came off as she tugged with wild abandon. I tried to grab the rope again, but it slipped out from the sweat over and over. I'd lose strength like this. Tightening the hand that was still on the rope, my other hand wildly fumbled for the clasp at my waist. My hand shook as I tried to unscrew it, my waist wildly swayed from left to right. The voices from the dark were becoming louder and I was finding it harder and harder to keep my cool.

The moment the clasp unscrewed, I pushed it in and the rope slithered out of it. It made a louder sound as it ran through the pulley above me back to Christine who'd been tugging it like her life depended on it, when in fact it was mine.

The rope went slack. And I was now on my own.

I'd used all the strength in my upper body to stay suspended with one hand and not fall. I gasped as my other hand grabbed onto the rope above and relief flooded my sole arm. My elbows were partly folded as I struggled to maintain a grip on the upper rope till I found the lower rope with my feet. Unsecured like this, I didn't even want to look down. My heart was in my chest, throat dry and eyes wide. Wafi and Rhaeya were silent below me, still not having come to terms with the possibility of Christine being a murderer.

Relief didn't flood my system as my feet touched the taut lower rope. I didn't want to be here anymore. I wanted down. I wanted to get down. "I'm heading back." I spoke normally, more for the ones below me than the one trying to kill me. My voice was steady somehow, vision narrowed in as I started to shift along the rope.

I didn't have anymore safety, there was no net below me and my shoulders were killing me.

My class below me had gone completely silent and I heard more running, towards me this time. There was a gasp. "What the hell, Fiera?!" Rhaeya yelled from below. "I'm going to kill you when you get down here!" She screeched.

Irritation crossed through me. If I get down there in one piece, I have to deal with Rhaeya. Great. Maybe it's better to fall.

My breathing was too laboured to reply as I started to make my way to the other tree. I would complete this. Sweat dribbled down the side of my face despite the cool air, my hands above shook as my shoulders cried out for relief. The rope was embedded into my skin as I slid along it.

"Fiera, stop!" Rhaeya continued from below, seeing me move. "We'll get you down!"

I bit my lip, my vision tunnelled into the tree on the other side. The cool air brushed by my side as I struggled to make it the last few feet. The rope under me swaying dangerously as I attempted this without any support. The only thought in my mind was the fact that the rope got tighter towards the trees. It got easier towards the end. Towards the end, the rope got tighter, it'll get easier.